Monday 13 September 2021

Rewilding Projects Work

In the past, humans have tended to remove key species from ecosystems, with little understanding of the likely consequences on the trophic cascade (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/sep/13/success-of-past-rewilding-projects-shows-path-to-restoring-damaged-ecosystems). This is effectively illustrated by the removal of Grey wolves from Yellowstone Park. The wolves were viewed (and still are in some circles), as purely dangerous and destructive animals. After an absence of some 70 years, the Grey wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone. These wolves reduced the numbers of elk. Their predatory behaviour essentially curbed overgrazing by the elk, producing a far richer and better balanced ecosystem. It seems that, properly handled, rewilding can be a very effective way of restoring environments. I'm not too sure, however, about resuscitating the mammoth for the Arctic tundra? Anyhow, the tundra is likely to be gone before they manage to do this.

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